The Morning CheckUp: June 10, 2011

Welcome to The Morning CheckUp, ThinkProgress Health’s 7:00 AM round-up of the latest in health policy and politics. Here is what we’re reading, what are you?

41 Democrats defend Medicaid in the Senate: “Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) says he has 41 Democrats lined up to defeat major Medicaid cuts as part of a deficit-reduction agreement.” [The Hill]

Insurance should cover contraception: 77 percent of respondents said private insurance should cover all or some of the cost of oral contraceptives, according to an NPR poll, and 74 percent supported public programs offering the same coverage. [NPR]

Alabama to ban abortions after 20-weeks: Last night, lawmakers approved “a bill that would ban anyone from performing an abortion on someone pregnant for 20 or more weeks, unless an abortion was needed to avoid the woman’s death or serious risk of substantial bodily harm.” [The Birmingham News]

Iowa considers an 18-week abortion ban: The measure passed the House on Wednesday and would impose the toughest abortion restriction in the country if adopted by the Senate and signed into law. [Reuters]

Americans have the right of review: “Millions of Americans gained the right this year to appeal decisions made by health plans to an outside, independent decision-maker” but many of them still don’t know it. [Kaiser Health News]

The cost of teen pregnancy: was about $10 billion in 2008, according to data from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Taxpayers saved “more than $8 billion because of a nearly one-third reduction in teen childbirth rates since 1991.” [The Hill]

Seniors to speak out about Florida’s Medicaid privatizaiton:”Florida health officials will hold public meetings around the state starting Friday to get input from Medicaid beneficiaries” on a new law that would move nearly 3 million Florida residents into the hands of for-profit companies and hospital networks. [Miami Herald]